Several pols have yet to weigh in on Belmont slot machines

Nearly a week after Nassau Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. picked Belmont Park for a video gambling parlor, several elected officials have yet to make their positions on the proposal known.

Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola), whose influence could be critical in securing state approval to build a permanent facility in the grandstand, was traveling and unavailable for comment, a spokesman said.

A spokeswoman for Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Queens), whose district includes Belmont, did not respond to requests for comment.

Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City), whose district includes Floral Park, which has threatened a lawsuit to block the plan, is undecided.

Rice spokesman Coleman Lamb said she “looks forward to talking with all the stakeholders involved in this project and hearing all of their concerns in order to determine how it would affect the surrounding communities.”

The OTB last Tuesday announced its intent to put the 100,000-square-foot parlor in the western portion of the grandstand, ending many months of speculation. Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano said “Belmont Park is a logical selection as the existing gambling facility is underutilized.”

— Robert Brodsky

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